Heinrich carl franz oehlecker



(No Model.)

H. O. F., O-EHLEGKER. TOOTH PICK.

No. 435,350. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

with as s e S. Invent cm (W Hem/Hm QMCPW M W QM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEINRICH CARL FRANZ OEHLECKER, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY.

TOOTH-PICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,350, dated August 26, 1890. Application filed December 12, 1889. Serial No. 333,485. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEINRICH CARL FRANZ OEHLEOKER, a subject of the German Emperor, and a resident of Hamburg, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth-Picks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tooth-picks; and the object of the same is to provide means for enabling the point of the tooth-pick to enter into all existing interstices and cavities at the teeth on the outside as well as on the inside of the same, or upon the crown of the teeth.

All tooth-picks heretofore in use are particularly distinguished from one another either by their material or by the construction of their handles, or by the combination of both; but all such tooth-picks are employed in the same manner-via, for removing the particles of food within the spaces between the front teeth'by forcing the point of the tooth-pick in a direction from the outside to the inside into the spaces between the said teeth. Such manipulation of the usualtooth-picks is, however, accompanied by great disadvantages, especially for teeth which are very close together, as not only the gum is pressed backward, but also the skin of the root of the teeth is frequently injured in such a manner that an inflammation of the same will be caused. This irritation will occur especially with the back teeth, because it is nearly impossible to push the usual tooth-pick in a straight horizontal direction through the spaces between the said teeth; but in most cases this will happen in an oblique direction toward the gum, and consequently the aforesaid irritations will be caused to a dangerous degree. In most cases the purpose of the tooth-pick-to clean the spaces between the te'eth-has entirely failed, as by the employment of the usual tooth-pick the particles of food in the spaces between the teeth, instead of becoming removed, will be very often still deeper pressed underneath the crown of the teeth, so that finally a surgical operation will be required to relieve the sufferer from insufferable pain. Owing to the present form of the usual tooth-pick, it is almost impossible to introduce the same from the inside and from the crown of the teeth or remove particles of food from the hollow teeth. All these inconveniences are overcome by my present invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side View, and Fig. 2 a top View, of my improved tooth-pick connected to a suitable handle to fold into for wearing purpose. Figs. 3 and i are two different side elevations of the tooth-pick folded at right angles with the handle, and Fig. 5 shows my improved tooth-pick folded together with the handle.

In this toothpick the actual point a is bent at about right angles to the shaft 1), which is connected to its handle 0 after the manner of a pocket-knife, so that when the tooth-pick is folded together the point is received and protected by a suitably arranged branch d of the handle. In this position the semicircularbent back a of the point will partly project beyond the notch of the handle receiving the shaft of the tooth-pick, so that the semicircular back a not only facilitates the opening or unfolding of the tooth-pick, but it also offers the necessary elasticity or resiliency to the point a for its practical use.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As an improved article of manufacture, the tooth-pick herein described, having its shaft provided with a point at right angles to the body thereof and a bent portion adjoining the inner end of said point, and the handle having a branch at one end for the reception of said point, as set forth, said bent portion imparting a resiliency to said point and serving to facilitate the opening or unfolding of the tooth-pick, as stated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 15th day of November, 1889.

HEINRICH CARL FRANZ ()EHLECKER.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER SrEoHs, GUs'rAv STEINER. 

